MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I'm sorry about Joyce.

Thank you. She was a good chook.

 

[ManueB]

Thank you RC.

It was quite a sudden turn for the worse.

I didn't expect it. She had a great life with you, but it still feels so unfair that it couldn't last a bit longer.
I thought something was wrong when you mentioned she had gone broody. Production hens don't normally go broody. But I didn't think she would leave so fast .
I hope Christa, now the lone marauder, manages without her.
She will remain to me the river refugee that learned to do the laundry.

 

[RoyalChick]

I hope Christa, now the lone marauder, manages without her.
She will remain to me the river refugee that learned to do the laundry.

Yes. Me too.

 

[LozzyR]

I hope Christa, now the lone marauder, manages without her.
She will remain to me the river refugee that learned to do the laundry.

Yes. Me too.

Me three.

 

[MaryJanet]

I didn't expect it. She had a great life with you, but it still feels so unfair that it couldn't last a bit longer.
I thought something was wrong when you mentioned she had gone broody. Production hens don't normally go broody. But I didn't think she would leave so fast .
I hope Christa, now the lone marauder, manages without her.
She will remain to me the river refugee that learned to do the laundry.

It wasn't right and I was going to call the vet about it, but she died before I had a chance.

On the other hand, I don't expect commercial laying hens to live long. I believe she got to 3 or 4. I don't expect Christa to age beyond 5.

I'll miss Joyce. Of the two, she was nicer to the other hens. So far, Christa is doing ok. She's less aggressive and more inquisitive, looking into things she hasn't looked into before now. I wonder if she's trying to find her friend. Or if she's viewing the world through new eyes now she's living solo.

 

[Shadrach]

I thought something was wrong when you mentioned she had gone broody. Production hens don't normally go broody.

Suppose she went broody because she knew she was dying.
Suppose production hens would go broody if they lived long enough in a suitable environment.
Suppose the often stated, "production hens have had broodiness bred out of them" is nonsense and it's more as I have suggested and that's it's just suppressed and if they lived long enough in the right environment they would eventually go broody.

 

[MaryJanet]

Christa has roosted in the sleepout and I think I'll leave her be for now.

Janet hasn't yet asked to be let out of the run to go roost in the big coop. If she wants to roost with her friends, that's ok with me.

In the end, Janet asked for the big coop, so I obliged and let her out of the run and into the big coop. I wonder if she'll stay in the run with her friends this evening.

With Joyce's burial planned, working on Janet's special roosting perch will be delayed another week.

 

[MaryJanet]

Suppose she went broody because she knew she was dying.
Suppose production hens would go broody if they lived long enough in a suitable environment.
Suppose the often stated, "production hens have had broodiness bred out of them" is nonsense and it's more as I have suggested and that's it's just suppressed and if they lived long enough in the right environment they would eventually go broody.

It's food for thought.

 

[MaryJanet]

Suppose she went broody because she knew she was dying.

I think this was the case, but she wasn't so much brooding as sitting in a quiet comfy corner and waiting for the end.

She put herself into palliative care.

And I was too dim to realise and put Christa in there with her.

There are times I realise I still have a lot to learn about chickens.

 

[RoyalChick]

I think this was the case, but she wasn't so much brooding as sitting in a quiet comfy corner and waiting for the end.

She put herself into palliative care.

And I was too dim to realise and put Christa in there with her.

There are times I realise I still have a lot to learn about chickens.

All of my first generation of chickens - Elizabeth, then Maggie, and finally DIana all retreated into a quiet dark nest box as they prepared to die. I provided food and water as needed but didn't force the issue. Maggie in particular would say thank you when I brought her something and talked to her.
I find it very relatable.
I imagine from an evolutionary perspective it makes sense to separate in order not to attract danger to the rest of the group.